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Norm Rice Mayoral Records, 1978-1997

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Rice, Norman B.
Title
Norm Rice Mayoral Records
Dates
1978-1997 (inclusive)
Quantity
84.4 cubic feet, (202 boxes)
Collection Number
5272
Summary
Records from Norm Rice's two terms as Seattle mayor from 1990 through 1997.
Repository
Seattle Municipal Archives
Seattle Municipal Archives
Office of the City Clerk
City of Seattle
PO Box 94728
98124-4728
Seattle, WA
Telephone: 2062337807
Fax: 2063869025
archives@seattle.gov
Access Restrictions

Records are open to the public.

Languages
English
Sponsor
Funding for processing this record series was provided, in part, through a grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
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Biographical Note

Norman B. Rice was born in Denver on May 4, 1943. He received his college education at the University of Washington, earning a bachelor's degree in communications and a Masters of Public Administration. Rice holds honorary degrees from Seattle University, the University of Puget Sound, and Whitman College. Before entering City government, he worked as a reporter at KOMO-TV News and KIXI radio, served as Assistant Director of the Seattle Urban League, was Executive Assistant and Director of Government Services for the Puget Sound Council of Governments, and was employed as the Manager of Corporate Contributions and Social Policy at Rainier National Bank.

Beginning in 1978, Rice served eleven years on City Council, including a term as Council President; he also served as chair of the Energy and Finance and Budget Committees. Rice facilitated the development of more equitable cost allocation and rate design procedures for Seattle City Light as part of his work on the Energy Committee; his accomplishments on the Finance and Budget Committee included the passage of the Women and Minority Business Enterprise Ordinance and the elimination of City investments in firms doing business in South Africa. Norm Rice also worked to improve public safety in Seattle and advocated for the use of local funds to improve conditions for disadvantaged Seattle citizens.

Rice was elected mayor of Seattle for the term beginning January 1, 1990, and served two full terms. He was the first African-American mayor in Seattle's history. An important issue in his first mayoral race was mandatory busing of schoolchildren to improve integration in schools; schools and education continued to be an important issue throughout his tenure as mayor, including support for the Families and Education Levy. Downtown revitalization was also a top priority during his tenure as mayor.

Rice ran for mayor a second time in 1993 and was re-elected. He also served as President of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. After leaving office, Rice served as President and CEO of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Seattle from 1998 to 2004; he then became vice-chair of Capital Access, LLC, and a visiting professor at the University of Washington.

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Content Description

Records documenting Rice's tenure as Seattle mayor through much of the 1990s. Major issues covered include downtown revitalization, education, public safety, comprehensive planning, energy, and arts and culture. Individual record series are described more fully below.

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Use of the Collection

Preferred Citation

[Item and date], [Title of record series], Record Series 5272-XX. Box [number], Folder [number]. Seattle Municipal Archives.

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Administrative Information

Arrangement

The records have been organized into the following series:

  • 5272-01: Departmental Correspondence
  • 5272-02: Subject Files
  • 5272-03: Calendars
  • 5272-04: Weekly Department Reports
  • 5272-05: Mayoral Proclamations
  • 5272-06: Speeches and Statements
  • 5272-07: Photographs
  • 5272-09: Campaign Materials
  • 5272-10: News Clippings

Separated Materials

Publications were pulled from the collection and are cataloged separately in the Published Documents Index.

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Detailed Description of the Collection

The following section contains a detailed listing of the materials in the collection.

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • AIDS (Disease) --Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Affirmative action programs--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • African Americans--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Cable television--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Economic development--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Education--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Goodwill Games
  • Homelessness--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Housing--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Neighborhood planning--Washington (State)--Seattle
  • Seattle Commons (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Transportation--Planning--Washington (State)--Seattle

Personal Names

  • Rice, Norman B.

Corporate Names

  • Seattle (Wash.). Mayor
  • Downtown Seattle Development Association (Seattle, Wash.)
  • King County (Wash.). Transit Division
  • Port of Seattle
  • Private Industry Council
  • Puget Sound Council of Governments
  • Seattle Housing Authority
  • Seattle Mariners (Baseball team)
  • Seattle Seahawks (Football team)
  • Seattle Supersonics (Basketball team)
  • Seattle Art Museum
  • United States. Bonneville Power Administration

Geographical Names

  • Seattle (Wash.)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photographic prints

Occupations

  • Mayors--Washington (State)--Seattle

Finding aid prepared by Julie Kerssen
2010

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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